Cal Fights Hard But Loses To Trojans, 82-73.

Cal brought a spirited effort here at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, battling back from double digits down in the second half to close it to four late, 71-67 with 2:45 to go after three Justice Sueing free throws, but the Bears were unable to stop Nick Rakocevic and company when it mattered most, falling 82-73.

Rakocevic paced the Trojans with 27 points (12-14 FG, 3-7 FT) and eight rebounds for a depleted squad, missing Kevin Porter, Jr. (thigh injury), Jordan Usher (who transferred earlier this week after an altercation with a coach during practice), and backup point guard Elijah Weaver, who sprained his ankle during today’s walk-through, which Trojan coach Andy Enfield described postgame as “the first time in my career a player got hurt during a walk-through.